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The face of food insecurity has often been generalized as a starving child in the developing world.

But the reality is that this issue remains a dire concern in developed nations, transcending national borders and affecting both public and private organizations. The past three decades have seen a rise in globalization, leading to a rapid increase in GDP growth in the developing world. Despite this rise in income, 1 in 8 people in the world remain chronically malnourished. To meet the demand increases driven by population and income growth, food production will have to increase 60% by 2050. Furthermore, of the 11% of the world land surface that is suitable for agriculture, 38% has become degraded by poor natural resource management practices. Food security, that is the availability of food, access to food, and allocation of that food, has and will continue to connect current and future world systems. Addressing this critical issue will require visionary leaders who demonstrate humility and a strong commitment to cooperation amongst private and public actors.

In order to operate in a world characterized by constant and evolving uncertainty, leaders will need to rethink the way in which food insecurity is addressed, refocusing aid and development programs to create innovative solutions. The U.S. government’s Feed the Future initiative exemplifies visionary leadership which is already combating food insecurity and embracing sustainable solutions to rural poverty. Through comprehensive, country-owned investment plans focused the agricultural sector, Feed the Future works in 19 partner countries that face food insecurity and a high incidence of rural poverty. U.S. government agencies work with implementing partners to increase agricultural productivity of smallholder farmers, expand their access to markets and trade opportunities, and support the economic resilience of rural communities. This comprehensive approach that focuses on empowerment of local communities, strong private-public partnership, and long-term results has the potential to revolutionize the way in which food insecurity is addressed across the globe.

Perhaps the greatest obstacle to achieving global food security is that in terms of both individual interests and short-term results, it is rarely advantageous for any single actor to champion the cause and drive progress. In order to meet our food security objectives of tomorrow, leaders must exhibit the humility to cease seeing this long-term, globally ubiquitous problem from short-term, egocentric perspectives. The recent failure of the Doha Round to achieve progress exemplifies the unwillingness of nations to approach the negotiating table modestly: developed countries have focused on their short-term political interests of appeasing domestic food producers and voters through tariffs and subsidies on agricultural commodities. These political interests come at the expense of long-term global food stability as the tariffs and subsidies prevent food producers in the developing world from accessing the market. Beyond national actors, NGOs and the private sector must accept that their own efforts are insufficient to solve this problem. Any potential solution must be preceded by a willingness of leaders to approach the problem with humility.

Whereas for centuries, leaders have tried to separate their organizations from others, resulting in a strict detachment between the private and the public sector as well as NGOs, a new paradigm is needed in order to ensure food security globally. Cooperative thinking and acting is the third fundamental value required for any leadership ñ cooperation between the various institutions is a very effective way for quick success in an enduring partnership with long-term goals benefiting all stakeholders not only through this altruistic approach but also in terms of financial performance and sustainability for centuries to come. For example, in 2011, PepsiCo, the World Food Programme of the United Nations (WFP) and USAID launched a public-private partnership to “promote long-term nutritional and economic security in Ethiopia”, an exemplary effort that brought in the different expertise of the institutions to tackle hunger. Boosting international cooperation and balancing financial, social and environmental expectations of stakeholders are essential tasks for leaders in the years to come.

Food security is not just a transitory issue. Population growth and a more connected world will ensure that in the coming decades, food security issues will only become more pertinent to achieving regional stability across the globe. However, any solution will go far beyond simply cultivating crops. Rather, we need to cultivate new approaches to leadership if we are to surmount the challenges before us. If leaders can embody humility, vision, and cooperative thinking in taking action against this increasingly pressing issue, perhaps global food security and sustainability may be attainable in the next half-century after all.

The opinions and views expressed here are those of the student authors and not necessarily of the U.S Agency for International Development or any other U.S. Government agency.